Original image from article by Donni Davis-Perry (check link at start of blog entry for source)

As I look over these factors, I don’t explicitly see relationships and trust, but they are certainly powerful enough to derail any initiative. If I had to fit these two incredibly important items in, it would be in the “Motivators” box…without them, you encounter resistance.

I continue to see this image pop up, but all the examples have to do with instruction, seldom with the blending of technology into instruction:

As I read Davis-Perry’s article, these key ideas jump out at me:

These are the factors that lead to successful institutionalization of schoolwide initiatives.

Institutionalization occurs when an initiative becomes the universally accepted and normal way of conducting business.

The first step in the process of institutionalizing an initiative is forming a planning team that maintains focus and addresses each of the critical components [in the diagrams above].

Working through resistance (e.g. Motivators) leads to transformational organizational change.

Implementing a new program with fidelity is vital.

Schools need to strategically plan for initiatives in order for them to be sustained.

The cycle of continually adopting and abandoning new initiatives each year creates cynicism.

School planning teams should take the time to ensure critical components are in place over time-typically multiple school years.

In the excerpt of the article that was shared with me by a colleague, I didn’t see what were the “other” or additional steps. Davis-Perry starts with the first step but doesn’t develop this into a list with Step 2, Step 3, etc. We can infer, though, that the next step is to put these critical components in place.

In technology, Dr. Scott Mcleod (Dangerously Irrelevant) shares the formula for tech failure. I’ve flipped it around and written the formula in a positive manner to get the formula for Technology Success:

The Technology Success Magic Formula, when lined up against Lippitt, Walter-Thomas, et al model, appears to be missing some critical components. In future blog entries, it would be fun to explore what technology success looks like when you have the factors for sustained institutionalization of initiatives aligned to technology initiatives. And, I’m referring to not only instructional technology but others.

Everything posted on Miguel Guhlin’s blogs/wikis are his personal opinion and do not necessarily represent the views of his employer(s) or its clients. Read Full Disclosure